Wichita eagle., 1887-01-05
A GRADUAL CHANGE.

About this timo there was a gradual
change in the color OF his skin. Before this
discoloratiou began he was a blonde, OF
fair complexion, light hair and gray eyes.
In the beginning his face became the color
of ashes He grew darker and darker, until
at length he became pronounced black,
large quantities of the coloring matter
being deposited on the skin of the face,
neck, shoulders, hands, and foreaTlns, and
subsequently, in all parts of the integument
The mucus membrane of the lips tonguD
and of the mouth participated II this dis
coloration. The physical appearance of tho
patient did not otherwise indicate the grav-
ity of his disease. The muscles retained
their development, and there was but httlc
inanit;op. In the last four weeks a rapid
| change for the worse set in, and death re-
suited in a little over six months after thu
inception of the disease. This was an I'M
usually rapid course, for, IS rule, patients
who suffer from this disease llngcr for from
two to five years, but always with the
| grave as the inevitable
/ Altogether not more than 200 cases OF
this peculiar disease could be collected
! from medical literature. The disease Is
one OF comparatively recent recognition, as
no we'll marked case is recorded previous to
| 1922, when Loehstein, Of Paris, discovered
/ the first known instance The name by
/ which it is generally known-Addison'
! disease-was given it after DR.. Addison, of
| London, who in 1876 collected eleven cases,
! only four of which, however, strictly belong
! to this category. 1t was DR.. Addison who
| first recognized the fact that the peculiar
discolored condition or the skin is due to
a diseased condition Of the supernal cap
sues, minute bodies situated above the kid
news the physiological character of which
has not vet been established. In Addison's
disease these bodies referred to arc invari-
ably found to be the seat of Inflammation,
of consumption, OF OF cancer.
ALWAYS PROVES FATAL.
1t is for this reason that the disease in
variably proves fatal. The patient may, for
! awhile improve, but the progress OF the
case may be compared TO that of a man
who has an inevitable staircase to descend.
lie may lingcr or go back, but the descent
/ is still to be taken, and the best he can
| hope for is to 20 down slowly and with long
pauses. ''Bronzc skim may be said to be
q disease of the laboring class. Those who
wicld the AK and toll with the shovel are al
most alwaTs its victims. 1t is for this
reason that it attacks the male nearly twice
| as often as the female. OF the lS3 cases re-
Gently collected by Greennow, 1l9 occurred
in males and ca in females. Associated
/ with the ''brOnze skin and the accompany
! ing muscular weakness are other symptoms,
which are moro or less characteristic Of the
disease, and which hasten the end. Most
prominent among them arc severe pains IN
the abdomen, inveterate attacks Of volnit-
ing and diarrhoa, great difficulty in breath
ing and finally convUl.ons.
SO far as tie treatment Il the disease IS
concerned there is nor" worthy Of the
name Remedial agents have not yet been
/ discovered that can directly or Indirectly
/ affect the diseased condition Of the sJrern&l
capsules, as the surgery Of the abdomen
| doc5 not lay claim to shat domain. !, Is,
/ however, a;uong the Trob2huuc, o. s-c-
/ cessfUl progress that in the near future IN
( these e.. cs. which medicine ccurot gca, tho
| knife VIII be rc5ortei 30. Addison, disease
r,rs. aat be confouH3eI with melaaosis,
which 80 at times ds-7Io.7 the s-!1. blC
/ IN which tImcra, hlae'. 81 ink. of rapid
. growth arJ c..,G followed by alteration,
/ cover tie ho1-. p LLai rs dHeaea the
KIN j. perfectly smooth. -ae only Ie.ara-
! blanc btve Il the t-.. a-,c-in-s is the
( dis c.o-at on. in both .-r, those parts
( which arc exposed 10 ta. a.r ard light turn
darker chan the rest @, tae lcjy.-Cincin-
/ ,s.-t t--,,--i.-ar.